Exam MAS-I Study Plan: Statistics and Probability Focus

Study Timeline

Plan for approximately 350 to 400 study hours over 4 to 5 months. Phase 1 (weeks 1 to 6): review probability distributions, point estimation, and inference. Phase 2 (weeks 7 to 12): study regression, GLMs, and time series in depth. Phase 3 (weeks 13 to 16): cover Bayesian methods, Markov chains, simulation, and survival analysis. Phase 4 (weeks 17 to 20): tackle advanced topics including EVT, copulas, and nonparametric methods. Reserve the final 2 to 3 weeks for practice exams and targeted review of weak areas. Adjust the pace based on your background: candidates strong in statistics can compress Phase 1.

Effective Study Strategies

Focus on understanding concepts rather than memorizing formulas. Work through derivations to build intuition. Practice extensively with CAS released questions and adapt study manual problems. For each topic, ensure you can set up the problem, execute calculations, and interpret results in an actuarial context. Create summary sheets linking related topics (e.g., Poisson GLM connects to credibility, overdispersion, and zero-inflated models). Form study groups if possible. Time yourself on practice exams to build test-taking speed. Identify your weakest topics two weeks before the exam and prioritize those in final review.